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Category Archives: Skin Cancer

We are proud to announce that we’ve just released a very exciting new feature for SunVisor across both our iOS and Android applications*: forecast UV!

This new feature, available for just a $0.99 upgrade, provides a beautiful chart that allows you to visualize the forecasted UV index, including the daily maximum, at your current location over the entire day. It is also interactive because when you tap on any hour of the day on the graph, a color coded marker appears that shows you what the exact predicted UV index for that hour of the day! The color coding scheme matches same color codes used to classify the level of the UV index in the rest of the app. For example, a color code of red means the UV index at that time is forecast to be very high, whereas a color code of green means the UV index at that time is forecast to be low.

This feature makes it really easy to plan your day ahead in terms of your sun exposure and need to take adequate sun protection measures for you and your family. Along with our real time dashboard and personalized alerts we provide in the app, staying sun safe has never been easier!

We have many other exciting new features in the pipeline that we will be rolling out over the rest of 2016, but always welcome feature requests and feedback from our valued users. Have a feature request you’d like to see? Email us anytime at info@mhealdigital.com

Keeping you sun safe, always.

Lance & the SunVisor team

* Our forecast UV feature is only available at this stage in the USA, but we are working hard to make it available to other regions as soon as possible.

One of the most exciting features of our Android app is that it incorporates our proprietary low-power indoor-outdoor detection technology that gives it the ability to automatically know whether you are outside and exposed to the sun, or otherwise indoors and/or in the shade. What this means is that without even opening or interacting with the app, the app know’s whether you are exposed to the the sun’s UV rays, and then keeps track of the amount of time that you are exposed to the sun. Using the real-time or forecast UV index at your exact location, it then estimates your level of UV exposure. The app then uses this data to decide if you need to be notified about the risk of potential skin damage and sun burn!

All tracked UV exposure data is stored in our secure backend database. In future versions of the app you will be able to access this data via visual graphs which show a history of your daily UV exposure over time, similar to the way your smartwatch or fitness tracker allows you to visualize your daily step count over time.

As always, we look forward to any suggestions or feedback you have about SunVisor.

If you followed the lead up to the launch of the movie X-Men: Days of Future Past you might be wondering why the actor behind the invincible Wolverine has been wearing a bandage on his nose?

Widely loved Australian actor Hugh Jackman has had a basal-cell carcinoma removed from his nose in May this year. This was in fact his second bout of cancer after a similar growth was removed also from his nose in November 2013. Luckily for Jackman and X-Men fans, a basal cell carcinoma is only life threatening in exceedingly rare cases as it rarely spreads beyond the original tumor site. It is also a slow growing form of skin cancer, but can have complications if it is allowed to grow large enough.

As Hugh Jackman has said “The beauty of all this is that it’s all preventable. It’s just about getting proper check-ups” and the actor is now pleading with people to wear sunscreen. Whilst the actor has recovered from the procedure, he is realistic about the future and aware that he’ll “have at least one more but probably many more”. He says that growing in Australia he doesn’t remember ever being told to put sunscreen on and believes this is largely the reason for his recent problems.

Given his level of influence, Hugh Jackman hopes that he will have more luck in convincing people to wear sunscreen than someone’s parent, wife, or husband. Hugh Jackman is a great example of how we all, no matter our status, are vulnerable to the effects of too much time in sun without proper protection.

Of the many forms of skin cancer, melanoma is one of the most talked about because of its high mortality rates. Though only 2.3% of all skin cancers are melanoma, this condition contributes to 75% of all skin cancer deaths. That is the depressing news. The good news is that a large portion of melanoma related deaths are preventable. The key is early recognition and treatment, and by simply doing regular self-examinations at home this can be easily achieved.

Knowing what to look for during self-checks is all about the ABCDEs:

– Asymmetry: regular moles tend to have a regular shape (often circular), spots that are clearly asymmetrical should be taken note of and shown to a medical professional for assessment.

– Border: the borders of an early melanoma tend to be uneven, with notches and scallops potentially present as well.

– Colour: a multitude of different shades or colours present on the spot is a potential warning sign

– Diameter: most melanomas are greater than 6mm diameter when they are diagnosed, however just because a spot is smaller than this doesn’t mean the chance of melanoma is ruled out

– Evolving: any changes in the characteristics of a spot should be monitored. Things to watch for are changes can occur in size, colour, elevation and symptoms such as bleeding, itching, or crusting.

If you identify a lesion with some or all of these characteristics, you should see your GP as soon as possible. Lesions that itch, bleed, or don’t heal are also alarm signals.

While the ABCDE’s are a great for detecting the majority of melanomas, it is not so good for identifying the most dangerous form of melanoma called nodular melanoma. As a result, we should all also look for skin lesions that are:

Elevated above the skin

Firm to touch

Growing

Other non-malignant growths also exist that can show similar symptoms to a melanoma, such as seborrheic keratosis. Therefore, it is very important to seek professional medical advice to confirm any suspicions and to reach a diagnosis. When in doubt, check with your GP!